Mad Girl's Love Song

I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead;
I lift my lids and all is born again.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

The stars go waltzing out in blue and red,
And arbitrary blackness gallops in:
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.

I dreamed that you bewitched me into bed
And sung me moon-struck, kissed me quite insane.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

God topples from the sky, hell's fires fade:
Exit seraphim and Satan's men:
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.

I fancied you'd return the way you said,
But I grow old and I forget your name.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

I should have loved a thunderbird instead;
At least when spring comes they roar back again.
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

- Sylvia Plath

*

I met the creative director for a new design magazine today, and visited the NAFA student exhibition. A student used Mad Girl's Love Song as part of her project; she put together a book based on the poem, and drew awesome things which were detailed but minimalistic, and played with all sorts of styles, and was basically brilliant.

It would have been more brilliant if she'd been the one who wrote the poem (I wish she had; I was disappointed when I found out because I love love love those pretty words).